SSU201: US History 8 (2012-2013)

Major Concepts/Content: United States History and Geography: Growth and Conflict Students in grade eight study the ideas, issues, and events leading to framing of the Constitution through Reconstruction. After reviewing the development of America’s democratic institutions, they learn about the challenges facing the new nation, with an emphasis on the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War. They make connections between the rise of industrialization and contemporary social and economic conditions.

Major Instructional Activities: Instructional activities will be provided relative to the content standards of the US History Course and use chronological and spatial thinking, historical research, and interpretation to demonstrate intellectual reasoning, reflection and research skills.

Major Evaluative Techniques: Evaluation will be comprised of assessments for/of learning in content standards knowledge, using research, map skills, the use of primary source documents, reading and interpreting various charts and graphs, simulation and standards based projects incorporating technology to make historical connections to analyze the growth and changes in the United States.

Course Objectives: Upon completion of the United States History 8 course of study, students should be able to:

Understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation and relate their significance to the development of the American Constitutional Democracy.

Analyze the political principles underlying the U.S. Constitution and compare the enumerated and implied powers of the federal government.

Understand the foundation of the American political system and demonstrate the ways in which citizens participate in it.

Analyze the aspirations, ideals and life of the people of the new nation.

Analyze U.S. foreign policy in the early Republic.

Analyze the divergent paths of the American people from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced, with the emphasis on the Northeast.

Analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the South from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.

Analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the declaration of Independence.

Analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the Civil war.

Analyze the characteristics and lasting consequences of reconstruction.

Analyze the transformation of the American economy and the changing social political conditions following Reconstruction.

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